Dispenser or applicator



Feb. 16, 1954 E. G. BQROWICK 2,669,232

DISPENSER OR APPLJCATOR I Fild Jan. 19, 1951 El?? /f, rj'

M- 7 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 16, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DISPENSER OR APPLICATOR Emma G. Borowick, New York, N. Y.

Application January 19, 1951, ySerial No. 206,768

2 Claims.

This invention relates to dispensers or applicators for administering medicinal or soothing liquids to parts of the human body and more particularly to an applicator or douche for treating or laving the eye.

The general object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved combination eyecup and receptacle, whereby'a. quantity of the liquid or lotion may be kept in the receptacle and transferred to the eyecup as needed.

In its preferred embodiments. the invention contemplates the provision of a package or ycontainer, the lower or base portion of which is arranged to receive the eye lotion or liquid, and this base portion is surmounted by an eyecup of the usual coniiguration which is connected with the base by means of a neck portion through which a valved passageway extends. By appropriate manipulation of the device, either prior to or during its application to the eye, the lotion or solution is caused to pass through the passageway from the container or receptacle to the eyecup in order to properly lave the aiected organ.

Another object of the invention is the provision, in a dispensing receptacle or applicator of this type, novel valving means for controlling the now of liquid from the receptacle base to the eyecup.

A further object is the provision of a compartmented receptacle or dispenser base, one of the compartments adapted to contain the fluid or solution prepared for treatment of the eye and dispense it to the eyecup, and the other compartment adapted to contain certain of the ingredients necessary in making up the solution, such as medicinal pellets or powder, or the solution itself in concentrated form.

Other objects and features of novelty will be apparent from the following specification when read in connection with the accompanying drawings in which certain embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in vertical section through a dispensing receptacle or applicator embodying the principles of the invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the receptacle shown in Figure l, with the cover removed;

Figure 3 is a transverse horizontal sectional view taken on line 3--3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view of a receptacle or applicator which comprises a variant embodiment of the invention;

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the receptacle shown in Figure 4 with the cover removed; and

Figure 6 is a view in vertical section taken on line 6-6 of Figure 6.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, the novel applicator or dispensing receptacle is designated as a whole by the reference numeral I0, and comprises a basic casting I2, preferably of plastic, to which the container body I3, the eyecup I4, and the cover I5 are adapted to be attached.

The part 12 is in the form of an annular element having three flanges: an externally threaded, upwardly projecting ange I'I; an internally threaded, inwardly disposed downwardly extending flange I8; and an outer flange or skirt I9, to the outer surface of which the upward open end of the container body I3 is cemented or otherwise permanently secured.

The eyecup member I4 is provided with a downwardly extending stem or shank portion 20 which is externally threaded to be screwed into the opening provided by the threaded inner flange I8 in the base ring I2.

Theeyecup element I4 is also provided with a central axial opening into which is forced or cemented a tubular plug 2I, preferably made of plastic and provided with a flexible mushroomed head or cap 25, which serves as a valve to normally close the axial bore 26 in the plug.

The protective closure or cover I5 is adapted to be screwed upon the threaded ange I1 of the ring element I2. The cover I5 is provided with an axially depending projection 21, which, when-they closure or cover is applied, bears upon the flexible valve 25 and insures that the bore or passageway 26, leading from the reservoir 30 in the enclosure I3 to the eyecup I4, is sealed.

The entire device may be made of plastic or other suitable durable and easily sterilized material, and it is preferred that the bulbcus con- 'y tainer or reservoir enclosure I3 be made of somewhat flexible plastic material.

With this description the operation of the device will be readily understood. The lotion or solution is prepared and, after removal of the eyecup member I4, is introduced into the reservoir 30 through the opening provided by the threaded ange I8. The eyecup member is then reinserted, the threaded stem 20 being screwed into the threaded opening. The cover I5 is screwed on and the device is available for ready portability and use.

When it is desired to apply the solution to the eye, the cover I5 is unscrewed, and the flexible container walls I3 are squeezed until a suilicient quantity of the liquid is forced up through the passageway 26, past the flap valve 25, into the eyecup. The cup is then applied to the eye in the usual way.

The embodiment illustrated in Figures 4, 5 and 6 of the drawings bears the general reference numeral 50. This device comprises the container or receptacle base member 5 I, which in this illustrative forni oval hgrizontalmsection. A parf, tition 52 `divides'. the base member intoftwo-superposed compartments 54 and 55. The depressed bottom wall 56 of the member 5| is provided...l

with a threaded flanged opening 58 into which is screwed a closure plug 60, a rib 6l on the.` plu facilitating manipulation thereof.

The domed i101) wall 63 of the recelitacle.base.'A is Provided with a central raiseenpssast.. t1,1,e f.r. margins of which are provided with I ls-crew,

threads. An eyecup member 55 is provided" withl a depending annular internally threaded ange 61 which is adapted tov bescrewedV onto the-boss- 64., .The top of the boss Mry is pierced withmwo oil-center openings 68 and-lirand; the .centralir web v'10; of the eyecup; member is-'provid'edf r with similar .openings 1I andi-1:22p which: respectively register `with the. openings 6Bv and 69 whenthe eyecup member 65 isrotatedtoa cross-wise'posi'- v tion such as shown in.dotted lines in` Fiig-urel- Normally, communication between the vupper compartment 54. and' the eyecupfz-lll vis cutoff by the non-registry` of the openings as shown -in Figures 4 and' 6 andlin' the solidllinelpositionof f Figure` 5. vA lling; openingcthe4 top -wall 63?- is closed. by. a threaded `closure plug '15V pover or closure 16 isapplied4 toI the shoulderedpor tion. 18 to protect the" eye cup, whenl the device is not in use. x

The compartment Mmaylconveniently-'be used for'the prepared solution used in'lavingithegeye and when the eyecup- 65! isi rotated 4through an angle 'of 90- the'4 openings v68a gnd 69n register respectively'withthej openingsH 'Ijll' and' 12 and.

extra, cornparilment,` 55 can pg., employe@ in gon..

nection with the container having adispensing@ nap-valve as shownin` Figuresi-lf-B; I:anducon-Mv verselytheflapfvalyel of ,Figures v1-3'.` may beffeml ployed in: the. partitioned receptacle illustrated in Figures 4-6.

i Numteiv -togsai'dffcupaportion, said flap valve disposed at the junctionl of. the hollow stem and the cup portion," andl'opening into the latter 'when subjected tozifluidgpressure through the stem, means for applying pressure to the liquid in said re- ?ceptacletocause it to iiow through said hollow stem past the flap valve into the cup portion, a removable cover adapted to be; applied.- to said receptacle? tofshroud said 4eyecu-pV portion-when thefdevice is4 notr muse', and .a projection on` saidv coverl adapted` to enter said; cup iportion, Contact said ap valve, and presshit in closed positionr when-.thefcover is-appliedpi- 2.k A dispensing container..` compi-isinga ring,A a flexible liquid-container secured tothelring'f, an

eye cupfelemeritv also securedtothe ring toform a dispensing containerassembly and `comprisingwa-cup portion and/afste'm portion,v the latter having-:air op'eningthereinpa plug"securecl-vinY the opening: of the stemand having an -axial openings..thereln, a, head `onlthe plug providing a ap` valve-.to normally` close Vthe opening in the `plug andvvpreventl communication between the Acontainer and eyecup'; and adaptedy to open vand allow passage of liquid lfrom `the/container to the :eye .cup when pressure is applied to the walls of thercontainer.. Y'

v BQROWICK. Referencesvoitedintiie fue of. this ypatent UNITED STATES PATENTS 'Date Name v- Y 747,525,... Willis Dec. v22, 1903 1,000,001 Holtz v Aug.'y 3, -1911 1,244,498 Heath Oct. 30 1917 2,080,268 yHarris May 11, 1937 2,352,610A Bonilla J-uly 4, 1944 A n FOREIGN PATENTS Number'j Country Date 295,162 Germany Nov. 28, 1914 

